Col. Nicholas Spencer

GEDCOM Note

<p>[g675.ftw]</p><p><p></p></p><p><p>Nicholas Spencer, Esq., of Cople, in Bedfordshire, who immigrated to Virginia and was Secretary of Virginia from 1678 to his death Sept. 23, 1689, and acting Governor from Sept. 1683 to April 1684.</p><p><p></p></p><p>His family was one of dignity and extensive estates in England, and in the Virginia Magazine II, pg. 33, is an account of his pedigree back to Robert Spencer, who was living in Bedfordshire 150 years before. His parents were Nicholas Spencer, Esq. of Cople Parish, in Bedfordshire, England and Mary, his wife, second daughter of Sir Edward Gostwick. Colonel Nicholas Spencer, the immigrant, was a merchant of London, who settled in Westmoreland County, Virginia, before 1659, where the parish of Cople was named in honor of his family in England. He held a great variety of offices; was a member of the House of Burgesses that continued from 1662 to 1676, Secretary of State from 1678 to his death, Sept. 23 1689, and as President of the Council was acting governor from Sept. 1683 to April 1684. By the death of his brothers, he was the only surviving son of his father at his death, and succeeded to all the estates in Bedfordshire and Huntingdonshire. By Frances Mottrom, daughter of Colonel John Mottrom, he had, according to his will proved in England, June 15, 1699 (New England Hist. & Gen. Reg., Vol XLV. pg. 67), William Spencer Esq., who died in England without issue; Mottrom, who married Jane

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, and died about 1703; Nicholas, to whom Richard Cole, in 1671 left a legacy styling him young Nich., son of old Nich.: (Westmoreland County Records) After the death of his brother, William, Nicholas Spencer, Jr. succeeded to the estates and went to England. (Virginia Magazine of History and Biography II, pg. 84, IV. 451); John to whom his father left lands on Pope's Creek; Francis, to whom his father left the moiety of 5,000 acres held in joint tenancy with Capt. Lawrence Washington; Frances mentioned in a deed in 1706 as now of age.